They dig, they plant, they play, they wait . . . and wait . . . until at last, the brown becomes a more hopeful shade of brown, a sign that spring may finally be on its way. Julie Fogliano's tender story of anticipation is brought to life by the distinctive illustrations Erin E. Stead, recipient of the 2011 Caldecott Medal.

    Invites the reader to join a bear and other woodland animals on a cold, moonlit walk to investigate strange noises and observe the arrival of spring.

    Nationwide, you can find a game in progress everywhere. If you want to play, you can find poker games on replicas of 19th century riverboats or on Native American tribal lands. You can play poker at home with the family or online with opponents from around the world. Like bowling and billiards before it, poker has moved out from under the seedier side of its roots and is flowering in the sunshine.Maybe you've never played poker before and you don't even know what a full house is. "Poker For Dummies" covers the basics. Or perhaps you've played for years, but you just don't know how to win. This handy guide will help you walk away from the poker table with winnings, not lint, in your pockets. If you're a poker expert, you still can benefit - some of the suggestions may surprise you, and you can certainly learn from the anecdotes from professional players like T.J. Cloutier and Stu Unger.Know what it takes to start winning hand after hand by exploring strategy; getting to know antes and betting structure; knowing your opponents, and understanding the odds. "Poker For Dummies" also covers the following topics and more: Poker games such as Seven-Card Stud, Omaha, and Texas Hold'emSetting up a game at homePlaying in a casino: Do's and don'tsImproving your play with Internet and video pokerDeciphering poker sayings and slangTen ways to read your opponent's body languagePlaying in poker tournamentsMoney management and recordkeepingKnowing when and how to bluffPoker looks like such a simple game. Anyone, it seems, can play it well - but that's far from the truth. Learning the rules can be quick work, but becoming a winning player takes considerably longer. Still, anyone willing to make the effort can become a good player. You can succeed in poker the way you succeed in life: by facing it squarely, getting up earlier than the next person, and working harder and smarter than the competition.Foreword by Chris Moneymaker, 2003 World Series of Poker Champion.

    Down by the river, a car gets stuck, and the family inside shouts for help. As they climb to the roof, a series of vehicles — a speedy jeep, a strong tow truck, even a noisy fire engine — rush one by one to the scene. But each gets more stuck than the last. Is it possible that Farmer John’s ancient tractor, rusty as it is, could still be up for the job?

    Welcome to the Sinnoh region — full of new Pokémon and more awesome adventures!Detailed walkthrough of the Sinnoh region! Who you should meet! Who can help you out!Special Sinnoh-only Pokédex! Check out the newest Pokémon!Detailed charts, maps, and information — including all items, berries, and moves!

    Sure, they cover the basics. But The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design goes way beyond the basics. The authors, top game designers, focus on creating games that are an involving, emotional experience for the gamer. Topics include integrating story into the game, writing the game script, putting together the game bible, creating the design document, and working on original intellectual property versus working with licenses. Finally, there’s complete information on how to present a visionary new idea to developers and publishers. Got game? Get The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design.

    Is this the year you'll finally catch the leprechaun? Start a St. Patrick's Day tradition with this fun and lively children's book.How to catch a leprechaun? It's tougher than you think!He'll turn your whole house upside down.He's quicker than a wink!

    We remember the uncertainty of separating from our home and entering school as strangers and, more than the relief of making friends, we recall the cruel moments of our own isolation as well as those children we knew were destined to remain strangers.In this book Vivian Paley employs a unique strategy to probe the moral dimensions of the classroom. She departs from her previous work by extending her analysis to children through the fifth grade, all the while weaving remarkable fairy tale into her narrative description. Paley introduces a new rule--"You can't say you can't play"--to her kindergarten classroom and solicits the opinions of older children regarding the fairness of such a rule. We hear from those who are rejected as well as those who do the rejecting. One child, objecting to the rule, says, "It will be fairer, but how are we going to have any fun?" Another child defends the principle of classroom bosses as a more benign way of excluding the unwanted.In a brilliant twist, Paley mixes fantasy and reality, and introduces a new voice into the debate: Magpie, a magical bird, who brings lonely people to a place where a full share of the sun is rightfully theirs. Myth and morality begin to proclaim the same message and the schoolhouse will be the crucible in which the new order is tried. A struggle ensues and even the Magpie stories cannot avoid the scrutiny of this merciless pack of social philosophers who will not be easily caught in a morality tale.You Can't Say You Can't Play speaks to some of our most deeply held beliefs. Is exclusivity part of human nature? Can we legislate fairness and still nurture creativity and individuality? Can children be freed from the habit of rejection? These are some of the questions. The answers are to be found in the words of Paley's schoolchildren and in the wisdom of their teacher who respectfully listens to them.

    Full-color illustrations.

    

    The practice of living and being alone is a growing, global phenomenon fed in part by the isolation that social media and technology can bring, as well as by many individuals opting to remain single for longer. This beautiful and timely book analyzes the trend by first explaining the difference between loneliness and being alone. It offers practical strategies for going out alone—dining out, visiting an exhibition, or traveling, for example—and examines how introspection can present opportunities for self-discovery and building self-esteem, ultimately fostering greater happiness and fulfillment. With practical, psychological, and inspirational support, Honjok will help those embarking on their own solo adventure embrace solitude and independence with confidence.

    Directed towards parents and educators of one to five year olds, Susan Striker explains why children's art is not a frill, but the very foundation upon which all later fundamental skills are built. She drives home the idea that encouraging children's artistic growth will have beneficial effects on all other aspects of their emotional and intellectual development.At the core of this practical guide is the understanding that art is an important tool in teaching young children crucial concepts related to self-expression, reading and writing. As opposed to more structured exercises, such as coloring on dittos and underlining pictures in workbooks, Striker stresses that scribbling and free drawing experiments are the most important art activities a child can engage in; they better prepare children to read independently as they grow.Young at Art provides descriptions for age-appropriate art activities, tips for carrying them out safely, and helps parents recognize what a child's art work should look like at each stage of development. With Young at Art, parents will develop realistic expectations of their children's work, learn how to speak to their children about their art, and facilitate skills well beyond their creativity that will benefit children.

    So he decides to take over: He dons his sparkly suit, jumps on his Harley, and roars off into the night. But it turns out delivering Easter eggs is hard work. And it doesn't leave much time for naps (of which Cat has taken five--no, seven). So when a pooped-out Easter Bunny shows up, and with a treat for Cat, what will Cat do? His surprise solution will be stylish, smart, and even--yes--kind.

    This collection of previously published essays reminds us that many schools have veered off course in their day-to-day business. And it's a primer that, if taken seriously, can put schools back on the right track. --Educational LeadershipThrough his writings and speeches, Alfie Kohn has been stirring up controversy for years, demonstrating how the conventional wisdom about education often isn't supported by the available research, and illuminating gaps between our long-term goals for students and what actually goes on in schools. Now What to Look for in a Classroom brings together his most popular articles from Educational Leadership, Phi Delta Kappan, and Education Week--and also from The Atlantic Monthly, the Boston Globe, and other publications. From self-esteem to school uniforms, from grade inflation to character education, Kohn raises a series of provocative questions about the status quo in this collection of incisive essays. He challenges us to reconsider some of our most basic assumptions about children and education. Can good values really be instilled in students? What, if anything, lies behind the label of attention deficit disorder? Are there solid data to support our skepticism about watching TV? Might such allegedly enlightened practices as authentic assessment, logical consequences, and Total Quality education turn out to be detrimental? Whether he is explaining why cooperative learning can be so threatening or why detracking is so fiercely opposed, Kohn offers a fresh, informed, and frequently disconcerting perspective on the major issues in education. In the And, his critical examination of current practice is complemented by a vision of what schooling ought to be. Kohn argues for giving children more opportunity to participate in their own schooling, for transforming classrooms into caring communities, and for providing the kind of education that taps and nourishes children's curiosity. Through all these essays, Kohn calls us back to our own ideals, showing us how we can be more effective at helping students to become good learners and good people.

    The attraction to her new boss, Aidan McAllister, is instant, sizzling. But sexy Aidan keeps some deadly secrets. He's a vampire with a dangerous past, and a strong craving for both Amber's blood and her ability of talking with the dead. But can she trust him with her life?In Book Two, Beelzebub Girl, fallen angel Cassandra wasn't supposed to fall in love with Dallas. Trouble is, she's Lucifer's daughter and Dallas is mortal, an easy target for her enemies who can destroy her by killing the mortal soulmate. But where Cass comes from, losing one's twin flame is a fate worse than death...Will chaos-loving Cassandra find a way to save herself and Dallas from a terrible curse with a revengeful killer wracking havoc in Hell in her quest to get the one thing half the paranormal world desires?In Book Three, Voodoo Kiss, Sofia Romanov won't stop until she finds out the truth about her sister's mysterious death. On a trip to Brazil, Sofia's powers as a voodoo priestess from a previous life are unleashed. Now someone's after her. Between trying to find out the truth, battling the affections of a striking demon, and bringing someone back from the dead, Sofia's task to save herself from trouble is easier said than done when her past is catching up with her.In Book Four, Dead And Beyond, Amber Reed is bestowed with the ability to see ghosts…not by choice though. When a friend disappears, the only person Amber can confide in is handsome Shadow warrior, Devon. But can she trust him when his race’s fate depends on finding the one thing Amber’s trying to protect?In Book Five, Forever And Beyond, an ancient legend tells the story of a mirror that was once shattered into four fragments. Amber Reed is a struggling necromancer on a mission: help vampire Aidan stop the prophecy and protect the innocents from the inevitable fate that will befall them should the wrong faction win. When bodies begin to pile up, Amber realizes she’ll have to be quick before everything she ever loved is taken from her forever…In Book Six, Shadow Blood, Amber Reed would have called herself an ordinary girl in an ordinary world…until she moves to Scotland and is pushed into a world she never knew existed by the sexy and daring McAllister brothers, unable to withstand its perils. Aidan McAllister, the irresistible leader of the Morganefaire brethren, has what he's always wanted: the girl of his dreams. His love for Amber is getting stronger, but for all his wants and needs, there’s a price to pay. As a mystery draws them deeper into the heart of an intricate organization ruled by shifting allegiances, Amber realizes she’ll have to choose between her one true love and doing the one thing she swore she’d never do: break the rules by taking someone’s life.BONUS: Rebecca’s Rising